AWN Pugin

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask the Chairman of Committees what action is being taken in the House of Lords to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of AWN Pugin on 1 March 1812.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: The House did not have a specific programme of events to mark this anniversary. However, a number of recent activities in the House have celebrated the work of AWN Pugin.
	In October 2011, the House authorities facilitated the filming of a BBC documentary about Pugin's life and contribution to architecture. A considerable element of the programme focused on Pugin's design for the Palace of Westminster, specifically for the House of Lords Chamber and the Clock Tower. The estates archivist and historian in the Parliamentary Estates Directorate appeared in the programme.
	On 23 February, the House of Lords (http://twitter. com/#!/UKHouseofLords) issued a tweet with a photograph of the Lord Speaker with a new stamp, celebrating the work of AWN. Pugin, produced by the Royal Mail as part of the Britons of Distinction collection (http://twitpic.com/8nnthy).
	On 1 March, the Parliamentary Archives (https://twitter.com/#!/UKParlArchives) also issued a tweet to mark the birth of AWN Pugin. This tweet included a link to the Parliament website, which contains a description of Pugin's work in the Palace of Westminster (http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/palace/architecture/palacestructure/the-architects/).
	In addition, the Parliamentary Estates Directorate holds regular conservation and collections awareness days, and the next one will have a strong Pugin theme. This will be held on 28 March and Members and staff are welcome to attend. Further details and instructions on how to book a place can be found on the parliamentary intranet.
	Finally, each year the estates archivist and historian usually provides one or two guided tours for the Pugin Society. This year's tours will take place later in the year.

Abortion

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government under what circumstances abortions can be performed on the grounds that the foetus is female; what is the form and timescale for the investigation into reports of abortions being performed on the grounds that the foetus is female; whether that investigation will cover all United Kingdom abortion clinics; whether the relevant police forces and prosecuting authorities have been informed of the reports; and whether it is intended that any doctors suspected of having falsified abortion referral forms or having performed abortions on the grounds that the foetus is female will be referred to the General Medical Council and the relevant police authorities.

Earl Howe: Abortions can be performed only in accordance with the Abortion Act 1967 (as amended). The Act stipulates specific circumstances where termination of pregnancy is permitted; gender selection is not included. It is illegal for a practitioner to carry out an abortion for that reason alone, unless the certifying practitioners consider that an abortion was justified in relation to at least one of the Section 1(1) grounds. A sex-linked inherited medical condition may be relevant to the practitioner's consideration of whether any of the Section 1(1) grounds are met in a specific case.
	The department has contacted three police forces, the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) about reports of gender-selective abortion and investigations and reviews are under way. The Chief Medical Officer for England has written to all clinics and hospitals undertaking abortions to remind them of the provisions of the Abortion Act and that sex-selective abortions are illegal. A copy of the letter has already been placed in the Library. There is no set timescale for when all these investigations and reviews will be completed.

Armed Conflict: Civilian Protection

Lord Dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will use the next United Nations Security Council debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict to raise concerns about the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, such as is occurring in Homs in Syria.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government continue to raise the importance of the protection of civilians in global conflict zones, including in United Nations (UN) Security Council debates. Most recently, on 12 March, the Foreign Secretary raised this as chair of the debate on the situation in the Middle East.
	Regarding the indiscriminate use of explosive weapons in Homs, the Syrian regime has demonstrated that it is manifestly unwilling to meet its responsibility to protect its civilian population. The Government have been clear on the need to end all violence-in Homs and Syria more generally-and will continue to be at the forefront of activity in the UN to bring about an end to the violence.
	At the November 2011 protection of civilians debate, the UK permanent representative condemned the repression of demonstrators in Syria and emphasised the need for an end to violence by the Syrian Government. The Government will continue to raise concerns about the violence in Syria during all relevant upcoming discussions and debates in the UN and other fora, including at the next protection of civilians debate in June 2012.

Armed Forces: Aircraft

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what price has been quoted for the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch catapult systems for the new aircraft carriers.

Lord Astor of Hever: Cost data provided by the US Department of Defense as part of our Conversion Development Phase investigations are commercially sensitive and I am withholding the information as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

Armed Forces: Aircraft

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrestor system is planned for use in new aircraft carriers.

Lord Astor of Hever: We have yet to make any final decisions about the conversion of a "Queen Elizabeth"-class carrier. Our Conversion Development Phase (CDP) investigations include consideration of the Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System and Advanced Arrestor Gear equipment which appears capable of launching and recovering a wide range of airframes across the full range of launch and recovery weights while leveraging existing and funded aircraft clearances.

BBC: World Service Trust

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Northover on 27 February (WA 203-4), why the business case for the grant of £90 million by the Department for International Development (DfID) to BBC Media Action was authored by a DfID official rather than by BBC Media Action; and when the proposal was first considered.

Baroness Northover: A business case sets out the rationale for choosing an intervention and is written by a team within the Department for International Development (DFID) responsible for appraising a proposal. As such it outlines DfID's logic and justification for spending taxpayers' money.
	The proposal for more strategic funding to Media Action was first considered during meetings in early May 2011. A full proposal was submitted to DfID, by Media Action, on 8 July 2011.

Broadcasting: Television Licences

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government in the last three years (1) how many people were charged with failure to pay a television licence fee, (2) how many were convicted, (3) how many were imprisoned for non-payment of a related fine, and (4) whether the BBC pays towards the court and prison costs involved from the licence fees collected.

Lord McNally: The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for television licence evasion in England and Wales from 2008 to 2010 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.
	Charging data are not collated centrally and therefore proceedings data have been provided in lieu.
	In 2008 there were 35 fine defaulters imprisoned for using a television without a licence. Data for 2009 and 2010 are not available due to data quality issues. To provide these data would involve contacting each criminal court for the court files to search for this information manually and extract the data from various sources which would be disproportionate to cost.
	The BBC does not pay towards the court and prison costs involved. Annual court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in May 2012.
	
		
			 Persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for television licence evasion1, England and Wales, 2008 to 20102 3 
			  20084 2009 2010 
			 Proceeded against 134,518 166,912 164,444 
			 Found guilty 120,785 148,853 142,375 
		
	
	1 Includes offences under the Communications Act 2003, Section 363.
	2 The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	3 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	4 Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates' court for April, July and August 2008.
	Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice. [Ref: PQ HL16250]

Children: Looked-after Children

Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many looked-after children in the West Midlands are being transferred between placements for reasons of cost, and how often.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The information requested is not held centrally by the department.

Disabled People: Children's Holidays

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hill of Oareford on 27 February (WA 230-1) relating to the Heswall Disabled Children's Holiday Fund, when they expect to conclude their inquiries and make a decision in connection with the regulatory framework.

Lord Hill of Oareford: Changes to the regulatory framework which would reduce the burden of inspection on specialist providers of holiday schemes for disabled children would need full consultation. We expect this to take place as part of a consultation to be launched in June on changes to the regulations that will be needed to take account of a number of different policy developments.

Education: Nurseries

Baroness Hughes of Stretford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a maintained nursery school can become an academy.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to enable maintained nursery schools to become academies.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any requests from any maintained nursery schools to become academies; and what would be their response.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a maintained nursery school with at least five children of statutory school age and on roll would be eligible to apply to become an academy.

Lord Hill of Oareford: Under current legislation, maintained nursery schools are not permitted to become academies. Academies are independent schools and are defined by Section 463 of the Education Act 1996 as schools that must provide full-time education for five or more pupils of compulsory school age.
	If a maintained nursery school had five or more pupils of compulsory school age, then it would technically meet the definition above. However, as a maintained nursery school could not guarantee, on a continuing basis, that it would have pupils of compulsory school age in attendance, we do not consider that this meets the requirements of the legislation.
	The department has received two requests regarding maintained nursery schools becoming academies. Officials have informed them that maintained nursery schools cannot become academies at this time.
	While we do not consider that a compelling case for permitting maintained nursery schools to become academies has been made, we continue to be keen to work with maintained nursery schools and Sure Start children's centres to explore new forms of governance which give parents and staff more of a say in how those organisations are run and will consider further representations on the issue.

Education: Teacher Training

Baroness Hughes of Stretford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what contribution private schools make to the cost of initial teacher training.

Lord Hill of Oareford: This information is not collected centrally. Where schools, including independent schools, provide placements for students in support of an accredited teacher training provider, costs are a matter for the school and the provider to decide.

Elections: Overseas

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Northover on 27 February (WA 236-7) regarding their contributions to overseas elections and the effectiveness of their contributions, whether they will provide further details of the expenditure and the elections concerned.

Baroness Northover: I refer the noble Lord to the letter I sent him on 12 March 2012. A copy of this letter will be deposited in the House Library.

Energy: Efficiency

Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the impact on consumers if their solid wall insulation targets exceed the industry's capacity to deliver targets for solid wall insulation.

Lord Marland: DECC has worked closely with the insulation industry to gain a detailed understanding of the sector's capacity to increase solid wall installation rates in a safe and sustainable way. Our final impact assessment, to be published alongside the government response to the consultation, will contain our analysis and assumptions.
	In addition, the department has made available £2 million to support the training and up-skilling of solid wall installers.

Energy: Oil

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the reasons for the increase in the price of a barrel of Brent crude oil from the end of 2011 to the current price and the implications for the United Kingdom economy.

Lord Marland: A number of factors affected oil prices at the end of 2011. These include uncertainty over the future levels of Iranian exports, Iran threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, an increased "risk premium" due to heightened potential for disruption in the Middle East, continuing strong demand growth from Asia, and slow growth in non-OPEC producing countries.
	The impact on the UK economy of higher oil prices is complex, working through a number of different channels. Oil is a factor in production for a wide range of goods and services; and higher oil prices will tend to have a negative impact on output, inflation and unemployment.

Energy: Wind Farms

Lord Donoughue: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assumptions are made on "write down" on the cost of wind power equipment when making provision for the subsidy for wind farm operations.

Lord Marland: In setting the level of renewable obligation support for any technology we do take account of the revenues and capital and operating costs during the operating life of the equipment. However, we do not make any explicit assumptions on the cost of "write down" for any technology.

Firearms: Licensing

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 27 February (WA 251-2), what were the number and category of (1) firearms, and (2) shotguns, that have been surrendered in each of the last four years in each police force area, according to the information held on the National Firearms Licensing Management System computer.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 27 February (WA 251-2), what were the number and category of (1) firearms, and (2) shotguns, that have been surrendered for which the certificate holder signed a voluntary surrender document in each of the last four years in each police force area, according to the information held on the National Firearms Licensing Management System computer.

Lord Henley: Information requested on the number of firearms and shotguns surrendered is given in the tables. Data have been extracted by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) which manages the National Firearms Licensing Management System (NFLMS).
	Data are not available centrally for voluntary surrender documents.
	
		
			 Table A: Number of licensed firearms and shotguns surrendered in 2008, by weapon category and force area 
			  Firearms 
			  Blowpipe Cannon Gun Humane Killer Combination Rifle / Shot Gun Launcher Musket Pistol Pistol - air Revolver Rifle Rifle - air 
			 Avon and Somerset 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 9 1 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 1 1 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 
			 Cleveland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 4 11 0 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 0 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1 5 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 11 31 1 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 4 0 
			 Durham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 0 
			 Dyfed Powys 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 19 0 
			 Essex 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 16 0 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 
			 Greater Manchester 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 11 0 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 
			 Hampshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 8 5 0 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Humberside 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 7 0 
			 Kent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 21 0 
			 Lancashire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 16 0 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 15 0 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Metropolitan Police 0 0 2 2 0 0 1 11 0 2 14 0 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 10 17 1 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 
			 Northumbria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 4 3 
			 North Wales 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 35 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 14 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 13 0 
			 South Wales 0 4 1 0 1 0 0 4 0 2 4 1 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 5 0 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 22 0 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 4 9 0 
			 Sussex 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 9 5 0 
			 Thames Valley 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 3 0 9 27 0 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 6 0 
			 West Mercia 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 1 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 17 0 
			 West Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 
			  
			 Total 1 9 6 8 1 1 3 59 1 92 442 9 
			 Source: National Firearms Licensing Management System. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table A: Number of licensed firearms and shotguns surrendered in 2008, by weapon category and force area 
			  Firearms 
			  Rifle Rimfire Rifle / Shotgun Combination Section 1 shotgun Self contained air/ gas container Slaughtering Instrument Sound Moderator Sound Moderator (Rimfire) Spare Spare Barrel Tranquillising Rifle Unknown Total Firearms Shotguns 
			 Avon and Somerset 2 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 1 0 0 23 73 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 8 26 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 31 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 19 
			 Cleveland 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 22 14 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 18 47 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 6 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 1 0 0 2 65 147 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 9 28 
			 Durham 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 15 30 
			 Dyfed Powys 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 1 28 171 
			 Essex 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 22 53 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 58 
			 Greater Manchester 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 15 37 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 10 41 
			 Hampshire 0 0 1 0 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 22 81 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 28 
			 Humberside 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 15 67 
			 Kent 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 32 64 
			 Lancashire 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 25 76 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 8 49 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 20 122 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 
			 Metropolitan Police 0 1 0 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 41 65 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 34 110 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 12 17 
			 Northumbria 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 13 13 
			 North Wales 0 0 0 2 0 11 0 1 0 0 0 52 156 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 24 105 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 21 39 
			 South Wales 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 20 47 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 34 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 58 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 39 133 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 18 41 
			 Sussex 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 21 77 
			 Thames Valley 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 48 91 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 11 44 
			 West Mercia 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 24 222 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 24 32 
			 West Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 41 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 10 42 
			 Total 2 1 1 7 8 137 2 6 1 1 4 802 2,651 
			 Source: National Firearms Licensing Management System. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table B: Number of licensed firearms and shotguns surrendered in 2009, by weapon category and force area 
			  Firearms 
			  Adaptor Barrel Blowpipe Cannon Combination Rifle / Shot Gun Gun Humane Killer Launcher Musket Pistol Revolver 
			 Avon and Somerset 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 10 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 
			 Cleveland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 11 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 10 
			 Durham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 
			 Dyfed Powys 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 
			 Essex 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 8 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 
			 Greater Manchester 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 6 6 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 
			 Hampshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 24 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 
			 Humberside 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 
			 Kent 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 22 
			 Lancashire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 0 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Metropolitan Police 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 30 6 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 9 
			 Northamptonshire 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 Northumbria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 North Wales 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 2 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 11 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 
			 South Wales 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 11 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 1 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 9 
			 Sussex 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 15 
			 Thames Valley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 16 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 
			 West Mercia 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 31 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 24 
			 West Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 14 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 
			 Total 1 1 2 1 1 6 3 1 1 188 287 
			 Source: National Firearms Licensing Management System. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table B: Number of licensed firearms and shotguns surrendered in 2009, by weapon category and force area 
			  Shotguns 
			  Rifle Rifle - air Rifle - air - moderated Rifle (Air) Self contained air / gas container Slaughtering Instrument Sound Moderator Spare Unknown Very Pistol Total Firearms Shotguns 
			 Avon and Somerset 14 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 27 52 
			 Bedfordshire 5 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 9 15 
			 Cambridgeshire 9 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 15 35 
			 Cheshire 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 34 
			 Cleveland 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 9 13 
			 Cumbria 16 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 28 74 
			 Derbyshire 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 14 
			 Devon and Cornwall 12 2 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 51 167 
			 Dorset 13 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 31 49 
			 Durham 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 9 36 
			 Dyfed Powys 18 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 7 0 33 158 
			 Essex 10 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 22 63 
			 Gloucestershire 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 52 
			 Greater Manchester 3 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 24 47 
			 Gwent 9 0 0 0 0 1 10 0 0 0 27 27 
			 Hampshire 15 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 0 1 47 82 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 23 
			 Humberside 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 34 
			 Kent 15 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 43 52 
			 Lancashire 4 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 19 37 
			 Leicestershire 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 15 35 
			 Lincolnshire 10 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 35 87 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 
			 Metropolitan Police 22 0 0 0 19 0 3 2 0 0 83 63 
			 Norfolk 19 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 39 158 
			 Northamptonshire 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 7 
			 Northumbria 3 0 0 0 10 0 2 0 0 0 16 23 
			 North Wales 14 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 25 88 
			 North Yorkshire 13 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 36 78 
			 Nottinghamshire 10 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 21 55 
			 South Wales 18 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 36 67 
			 South Yorkshire 4 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 19 43 
			 Staffordshire 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 5 23 
			 Suffolk 13 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 28 138 
			 Surrey 7 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 25 22 
			 Sussex 12 0 0 0 0 5 4 1 1 0 39 63 
			 Thames Valley 21 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 49 369 
			 Warwickshire 4 0 0 0 4 0 3 0 0 0 20 43 
			 West Mercia 31 1 0 0 1 0 8 1 0 0 76 168 
			 West Midlands 23 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 49 43 
			 West Yorkshire 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 22 40 
			 Wiltshire 8 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 17 67 
			 Total 407 4 1 2 45 12 113 8 10 2 1,096 2,753 
			 Source: National Firearms Licensing Management System. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table C: Number of licensed firearms and shotguns surrendered in 2010, by weapon category and force area 
			  Firearms 
			  Adaptor Barrel Blowpipe Cannon Combination Rifle / Shot Gun Flare pistol Gun Humane Killer Humane Killer, Pistol 2 shot Launcher Musket Muzzle Loading Revolver Pistol Revolver 
			 Avon and Somerset 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Bedfordshire 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Cleveland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3 
			 Cumbria 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 2 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 
			 Durham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Dyfed Powys 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 2 
			 Essex 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 11 
			 Gloucestershire 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 
			 Hampshire 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Humberside 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 Kent 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Lancashire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Metropolitan Police 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 4 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Northumbria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Wales 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 South Wales 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 7 1 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 6 
			 Sussex 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 
			 Thames Valley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Mercia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 7 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 West Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 3 
			 Total 2 2 3 6 1 3 1 10 1 6 4 1 73 62 
			 Source: National Firearms Licensing Management System. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table C: Number of licensed firearms and shotguns surrendered in 2010, by weapon category and force area 
			  Firearms 
			  Rifle Rifle - air Rifle/Shotgun Combination Self contained air/gas container Semi Auto Shot Pistol Signal Pistol Slaughtering Instrument Sound Moderator Spare Unknown Very Pistol Total Firearms Shotguns 
			 Avon and Somerset 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 21 94 
			 Bedfordshire 18 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 29 67 
			 Cambridgeshire 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 11 93 
			 Cheshire 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 10 63 
			 Cleveland 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 27 46 
			 Cumbria 34 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 0 0 1 48 145 
			 Derbyshire 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 5 
			 Devon and Cornwall 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 1 0 0 40 288 
			 Dorset 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 10 126 
			 Durham 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 1 0 18 77 
			 Dyfed Powys 35 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 7 0 4 0 53 324 
			 Essex 11 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 28 113 
			 Gloucestershire 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 20 113 
			 Greater Manchester 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 0 21 111 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 8 82 
			 Hampshire 18 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 0 1 33 198 
			 Hertfordshire 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 9 55 
			 Humberside 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 19 81 
			 Kent 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 17 110 
			 Lancashire 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 15 56 
			 Leicestershire 8 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 14 95 
			 Lincolnshire 33 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 1 0 49 189 
			 Merseyside 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 12 
			 Metropolitan Police 14 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 29 71 
			 Norfolk 32 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 13 4 0 0 57 349 
			 Northamptonshire 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 35 
			 Northumbria 26 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 34 94 
			 North Wales 13 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 15 181 
			 North Yorkshire 54 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 16 1 0 0 80 229 
			 Nottinghamshire 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 21 80 
			 South Wales 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 189 
			 South Yorkshire 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 74 
			 Staffordshire 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 20 29 
			 Suffolk 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 58 378 
			 Surrey 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 23 80 
			 Sussex 16 0 0 0 0 1 0 5 3 2 0 0 30 139 
			 Thames Valley 17 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 2 0 0 0 27 116 
			 Warwickshire 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 14 77 
			 West Mercia 27 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 1 0 0 45 325 
			 West Midlands 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 0 22 68 
			 West Yorkshire 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 14 93 
			 Wiltshire 16 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 7 2 0 0 33 119 
			 Total 652 3 3 6 1 5 3 19 162 17 7 2 1,055 5,269 
			 Source: National Firearms Licensing Management System. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table D: Number of licensed firearms and shotguns surrendered in 2011, by weapon category and force area 
			  Firearms 
			  Barrel Cannon Combination Rifle / Shot Gun Gun Human Killer Humane Killer / Pistol Launcher Musket Pistol Revolver Rifle 
			 Avon and Somerset 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 23 1 28 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Cumbria 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 44 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 3 14 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 15 
			 Durham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 
			 Dyfed Powys 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 2 0 25 
			 Essex 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 7 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 
			 Greater Manchester 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 7 
			 Gwent 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 
			 Hampshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 7 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Humberside 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 
			 Kent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 
			 Lancashire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 11 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 23 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 
			 Metropolitan Police 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 1 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 29 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Northumbria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 
			 North Wales 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 6 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 40 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 
			 South Wales 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 9 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 13 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 7 28 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 
			 Sussex 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 2 16 
			 Thames Valley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 12 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 
			 West Mercia 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 5 9 13 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 11 
			 West Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 6 13 
			 Total 2 3 1 3 3 1 4 6 87 46 530 
			 Source: National Firearms Licensing Management System. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table D: Number of licensed firearms and shotguns surrendered in 2011, by weapon category and force area 
			  Firearms 
			  Rifle - air Rifle Rimfire Rifle / Shotgun Combination Self contained air / gas container Signal Pistol Slaughtering Instrument Sound Moderator Sound Moderator (Rimfire) Spare Unknown Very Pistol Total Firearms Shotguns 
			 Avon and Somerset 1 2 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 62 111 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 51 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 12 88 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 27 
			 Cleveland 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 35 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 0 0 53 172 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1 0 0 0 0 2 7 0 0 0 0 35 201 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 21 101 
			 Durham 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 34 92 
			 Dyfed Powys 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 1 0 38 302 
			 Essex 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 17 141 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 1 26 126 
			 Greater Manchester 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 16 108 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 25 49 
			 Hampshire 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 6 24 155 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 39 
			 Humberside 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 19 94 
			 Kent 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 15 134 
			 Lancashire 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 13 69 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 18 92 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 2 0 0 34 155 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 6 5 
			 Metropolitan Police 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 12 52 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 0 0 1 13 0 0 0 0 49 375 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 27 
			 Northumbria 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 16 42 
			 North Wales 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 187 
			 North Yorkshire 1 0 2 0 0 2 13 0 0 0 0 64 194 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 7 50 
			 South Wales 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 14 112 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 10 67 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 19 62 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 1 0 0 51 304 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 65 
			 Sussex 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 32 85 
			 Thames Valley 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 19 130 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 11 52 
			 West Mercia 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0 0 36 242 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 2 0 0 21 64 
			 West Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 9 70 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 33 88 
			 Total 5 2 2 9 2 9 162 1 10 3 7 898 4,616 
			 Source: National Firearms Licensing Management System.

Firearms: Licensing

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have a statutory responsibility to ensure that chief officers of police issue a firearms or shotgun certificate renewal in cases where applicants have submitted their renewal documentation and appropriate fee in good time before the renewal date.

Lord Henley: The chief officer of police has the responsibility, under the Firearms Acts, for determining and administering the grant, refusal or revocation of firearm and shotgun certificates.

Government: Ministerial Visits

Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many schools, and of what types, the Secretary of State for Education has visited in this and the previous academic year; and whether there are any schools which the Secretary of State has visited on more than one occasion.

Lord Hill of Oareford: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education has visited the following schools during this academic year (2011-12):
	
		
			 Schools Administrative Type 
			 7 Primary Schools 3 Community Schools 2 Free Schools 1 Sponsored Academy 1 Voluntary Aided Schools 
			 12 Secondary Schools 2 Community Schools 3 Converter Academies 4 Sponsored Academies 3 Voluntary Aided Schools 
			 2 Special Schools 1 Community Special School 1 Sponsored Academy 
		
	
	The following table shows his visits to schools during the previous academic year
	(2010-11):
	
		
			 Schools Administrative Type 
			 14 Primary Schools 8 Community Schools 4 Converter Academies 2 Voluntary Aided Schools 
			 23 Secondary Schools 7 Community Schools 3 Converter Academies 2 Foundation Schools 1 Independent School 5 Sponsored Academies 4 Voluntary Aided Schools 1 Voluntary Controlled School 
			 3 All-through Schools (primary and secondary provision) 3 Sponsored Academies 
			 1 Special School 1 Community School 
		
	
	He also visited three further education colleges during 2010-11.
	Since September 2010, the Secretary of State for Education has visited Twyford Church of England High School twice, and Durand Academy twice.

Health: Drugs

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the National Addiction Centre has withdrawn its May 2011 report on benzodiazepines and other prescribed drugs; whether any specific errors were identified in the report; and what new data and new evidence have since become available.

Earl Howe: The literature review commissioned from the National Addiction Centre remains available. Details of how to obtain copies can be found at: www. kcl.ac.uk/iop/depts/addictions/research/drugs/ benzodiazepinesz-drugsandcodeineproducts.aspx
	My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Anne Milton), Department of Health, convened a round-table meeting of expert stakeholders in September to discuss the future action required to tackle addiction to prescription and over-the-counter medicines. The group identified a number of concrete actions to take forward which are now the main focus of work in this area. Progress against these actions will be reviewed when the group reconvenes on 15 March.

Health: Reproductive Health

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proportion of the total budget of the World Bank spent on reproductive health projects in 2011; and what assessment they have made of the World Bank's disbursement of the funds mostly as loans and not grants.

Baroness Northover: The coalition Government conducted a Multilateral Aid Review (MAR) in March 2011, which looked at all of the global development agencies we work with-including the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA)-and evaluated their impact and value for money. Overall, IDA was identified as providing very good value for money. The MAR did not specifically examine the World Bank's financial support to reproductive health. However, investment in reproductive health saves lives and is highly cost-effective and we welcome the increased focus on this area demonstrated by development of the World Bank Reproductive Health Action Plan 2010-2015.
	The UK Government's policy is that the terms on which financial assistance is provided should be determined by what a developing country can afford. The World Bank only lends money to countries that can repay the loan. For low-income countries, lending is provided on highly concessional terms through the World Bank's IDA. For the most indebted countries IDA funding is provided as grants.

Israel and Palestine: West Bank

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether aid organisations are subsidising the occupation by Israel of territory in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in the light of the responsibilities of an occupying power to look after the civilian population as stated in the fourth Hague convention of 1907.

Baroness Northover: The UK considers Israel to be the occupying power in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem with resultant obligations under international humanitarian law, as set out under the fourth Hague convention of 1907 and the fourth Geneva convention of 1949. The support given to the Palestinian people by aid organisations does not affect Israel's obligations under international law for actions it takes in respect of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We consider that aid organisations have a valuable role to play in supporting the Palestinians to establish effective self-governance in the West Bank and Gaza as part of the process set out in the Oslo accords.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 10 February (WA 117), how many habitual residents of the United Kingdom who have worked in another European Economic Area country are claiming jobseeker's allowance; and for how many of those the United Kingdom is seeking reimbursement from another country.

Lord Freud: The UK's benefit payment systems do not currently record the nationality of claimants. Therefore, it is not possible to determine the actual number of claimants from the European Economic Area (EEA) who are currently claiming jobseeker's allowance.
	However, the Minister for Employment, with the support of the Minister for Immigration and the Exchequer Secretary, did commission research to build the best possible picture on number of non-UK nationals claiming benefits. Statistics were produced as a result of a series of data matches between the Department for Work and Pensions, the UK Border Agency and HM Revenue and Customs on the nationality of benefit claimants at the point of registration for a national insurance number (released on 20 January 2012). These indicate that at February 2011, 371,000 (6.4%) of DWP working-age benefits claimants were non-UK nationals when they registered for their national insurance number. Of these, 25% were EU nationals, and 75% were non-EU nationals.
	With the introduction of universal credit from 2013, the Government are developing ways to record nationality at source.
	On the number of claims for contributory jobseeker's allowance where reimbursement has been sought, records held within the International Pension Centre show that in the period from 1 May 2010 (the date when the updated EU regulations took effect) up to 31 December 2010, the UK has claimed reimbursement of the cost of paying contribution-based jobseeker's allowance from other EEA countries in three cases. These are cases where the International Pension Centre has accepted that the jobseeker remained habitually resident in the UK for the duration of their employment abroad.
	In the following period up to 30 June 2011, the UK has made a further six claims for reimbursement of the contributor jobseeker's allowance paid.

Organ Donation

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to launch a public debate on presumed consent for organ donation, following plans for such legislation in Wales.

Earl Howe: We note the Welsh Government's summary of responses to their recent White Paper consultation on proposals for organ and tissue donation in Wales. We look forward to seeing the detailed proposals when the draft Assembly Bill is published for consultation in June.
	The independent Organ Donation Taskforce examined the case for moving to an opt-out system in 2008. It recommended against it, concluding that while such a system might have the potential to deliver benefits it would present significant difficulties.
	Action is being taken to strengthen the donation programme and we are seeing significant improvements in donor rates. We need to give time for these improvements to be worked through fully and assess their success before looking to change the system further.
	We therefore have no plans to launch a public debate on presumed consent for organ donation.

Pensions

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any arrangements are in place regarding maintenance of pension rights for NHS staff who volunteer for posts in Voluntary Service Overseas training programmes in conflict-affected and fragile states such as South Sudan.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of the impact of any loss of pension rights on the level of volunteering by NHS staff to serve in Voluntary Service Overseas training programmes in conflict-affected and fragile states.

Earl Howe: Any staff who volunteer for Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) are eligible to maintain their access rights to the NHS Pension Scheme for England and Wales. This can be achieved by means of an overseas direction under Section 7(2) of the Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1967, which means that staff retain membership of the scheme.
	Alternatively, staff can receive additional pension credited on their return to the National Health Service, funded centrally to compensate them for NHS lost service while volunteering. There is therefore no reason why pension rights should be an issue in making a decision to volunteer for VSO.
	The reason why the Government introduced the scheme to make good pensionable service forgone while working for VSO was in response to concerns that loss of pension rights may be an obstacle to volunteering.

People Trafficking

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they do not keep records of the numbers of victims of trafficking in the United Kingdom who have made successful compensation claims, in the light of the United Kingdom's status as a signatory to the Council of Europe convention on human trafficking.

Lord McNally: Victims of trafficking can receive compensation from a number of different sources and through different legal proceedings. Article 15(3) of the Council of Europe convention on human trafficking requires the United Kingdom to provide a right to seek compensation from perpetrators. This can be ordered by the courts against the perpetrator during a criminal trial, through an application under the Proceeds of Crime Act or through private litigation in tort. We do not currently compile statistics in relation to these awards.
	Article 15(4) of the convention requires the state to provide compensation if the offender fails to do so. We provide compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). As set out in my Answer of 18 January (column WA 129), the CICA keeps records based on the nature of the victim's injury, not the nature of the offence that caused it.
	The Government do not currently see a compelling case for collecting additional data.

Police: PAVA Spray

Lord Tyler: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether pelargonic acid vanillylamide (PAVA) spray has been issued to police officers in England and Wales; if so, what guidance has been issued about its use (1) in crowds, and (2) in other circumstances; and what assessment they have made of its safety.

Lord Henley: CS and pelargonic acid vanillylamide (PAVA) incapacitants are approved for police use in the UK. These are in the form of a handheld spray for use by police officers and are not designed for use as a crowd-control technology. Any equipment issued to police officers is subject to very rigorous testing and would undergo a medical assessment.
	The Association of Chief Police Officers has given very careful consideration to how CS and PAVA sprays should be used, and to the aftercare of people who are sprayed with it, and has issued detailed guidelines to all forces in England and Wales.

Protests

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the Director of Public Prosecutions's comments on protests, they will define "face-coverings" in legislation.

Lord Henley: We have no plans to define face-coverings in legislation.

Sudan

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to assist refugees escaping from South Kordofan into South Sudan; what access there is for aid agencies in the areas affected; and what form any assistance will take.

Baroness Northover: The UK has played a leading role in supporting an effective and co-ordinated humanitarian response in South Sudan, including meeting the needs of people displaced from Southern Kordofan into South Sudan. We are currently providing assistance through support to the common humanitarian funds (CHF) in both Sudan and South Sudan.
	The Government of Sudan are not allowing humanitarian access in Southern Kordofan. The UK is supporting measures put forward by the UN, African Union and Arab League to enable access to the area under a tripartite agreement. This has been received positively by the Sudanese authorities, but has not yet been approved. The Government of South Sudan are allowing access to refugees, but the operating environment remains difficult as a result of mines, unexploded ordinance, rebel militia activity and wider insecurity.

Syria

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Stabilisation Unit has been mobilised to analyse what actions should be taken to assist in the relief of the current situation in Syria.

Baroness Northover: The Stabilisation Unit is assisting the UK Government through the development and coordination of cross-Whitehall conflict analysis and initial stabilisation planning; looking at what future support Syria might need from the UK and international community in order to make a political transition to an open, democratic and stable state. It has also been providing expertise on Syria and conflict-related issues, including the recent deployment of an expert team to the region to collect evidence of human rights violations committed by the Syrian regime.

Young Offenders: Young Women

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government on how many occasions in the past six months young women coming from court have arrived at the Josephine Butler Unit at HM Young Offender Institute Downview at 10 pm or later.

Lord McNally: Between 1 September 2011 and 29 February 2012, young women arrived at the Josephine Butler Unit at HMP/YOI Downview from court at 10 pm or later on six occasions.

Young Offenders: Young Women

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they have responded to the recommendation of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales in the report on the unannounced inspection of the Josephine Butler Unit at HM Young Offender Institute Downview, in February 2010 that (1) young women should not spend long periods in court cells waiting for transport to the unit after they have been sentenced, and (2) young women should not share transport with adults or young men.

Lord McNally: The recommendations have been incorporated into the Youth Justice Board's current contracts with escort providers. In order to reduce periods waiting in court cells, contractors are required to prioritise young women under 18 and young children for urgent return to prisons. Court waiting times are regularly monitored and any issues raised are escalated to the contractor's management for resolution.
	Contracts governing the transport of young offenders now require separation of children and young people from adult prisoners and separation by gender. This applies to escort to secure establishments. This is achieved by use of a separate vehicle, or specially modified cellular vehicles that enable separation to be maintained while loading, disembarking and in transit.

Young Offenders: Young Women

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many visits from their families the young women at the Josephine Butler Unit at HM Young Offender Institute Downview are entitled to per month.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many hours a day the young women at the Josephine Butler Unit at HM Young Offender Institute Downview are entitled to spend outside.

Lord McNally: All unconvicted prisoners are entitled to at least three one-hour visits per week, one of which may be on a weekend. Convicted prisoners are entitled to at least two one-hour social visits in every four-week period, one of which may be on a weekend.
	Young people held in young offender institutions are entitled to a minimum of one hour per day in open air for outside activity or recreation unless the weather does not allow for it.